Maya Jackson and the Quest Against Death
by lunarchroniclesandcockatiels
Summary: Maya Jackson, daughter of Percy and Annabeth Jackson. She doesn't remember her parents, who died when she was a baby, but when a new prophecy is revealed, along with a quest destined to fail, can Maya somehow bring her parents back? Because what really happened to them twelve years ago?


**A/N: This idea came to me the other day. I think I just wanted to write something different (but if the whole Percabeth's-child-goes-on-a-quest-to-try-to-bring-her-parents-back-because-she thinks-someone-murdered-them-and-they-didn't-die-in-a-fire thing is a cliche, please, let me know! :D). Maya is about thirteen in this story. I hope you enjoy it!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own PJO. If I did… well, that would be amazing. But I don't. Oh well.**

I guess I was sort of raised at Camp, which really isn't a bad thing. Tony Valdez, who is fourteen, only a year older than me, and my best friend in the world, says that it means that I've been fighting monsters since birth. Which, I guess might be true, because there is a picture in the Athena Cabin of three-year old me holding a sword (not plastic, mind you!) and grinning at the camera. That's camp life for you!

You see, the reason I've lived at Camp Half-Blood my whole life is that my parents died in a fire when I was very small, about ten or so months old. Something about forgetting to turn off the stove or something. Which is weird, because my dad can control water. I guess I always suspected foul play, but whenever I said anything to Chiron, he would just get this sad look on his face that warned me not to bring up the subject.

Once, when I was eight years old, I put together a list of reasons why I thought someone murdered my parents. I guess it was pretty morbid for an eight-year old, but the police hadn't bothered to look into it, and someone had to, right? I showed the list to Grover, who was my dad's best friend next to my mom, but he just started crying. I was really blunt about it. I think I was just annoyed that no one would listen to my ideas.

I used to have a mortal grandmother and step-grandfather too, I think, but they died around the same time as my parents. People ask me all the time if I miss my parents. It seems to be their main question when they find out mine are dead.

Do I miss my parents? Well, to be honest, I don't really remember them. I have a vaguely remember someone holding me when I was very small, and I remember feeling safe, but I'm not sure it was my parents that were holding me. Possibly Chiron. But somehow, even though I never knew them, I miss them. I miss that they aren't able to be in my life, that my mother will never be able to bake me cookies, and my father will never be able to give me away at my wedding (I know, I know. Tony says I'm too dramatic), and that we'll never be able to do normal family stuff together, like seeing a movie. I regret that I won't be able to complain to them about doing dishes, that they'll never ground me for sneaking out of the house, that I won't be able to show them their grandchildren, and watch them grow old together.

All I really know about them is that their names were Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase, and they died in a fire. They were heroes, too -or at least that's what everyone says, anyways. People are always giving me tidbits of information on them, which I started writing in a journal, but I've never had someone tell me the whole story all at once.

"Earth to Maya," someone calls. I turn around, almost banging my head on the wall.

Maya. Malcolm, one of my mom's brothers, said my parents named me that because it means water. They also liked the fact that Hermes' mother, Maya (or Maia, depending on where you read the myth) was a nice person, and lived a pretty peaceful life without a tragic death or anything (although she is a goddess, so I guess she can't really die. But hey, at least she wasn't chopped up into tiny pieces like Kronos was!).

Tony stands in the doorway of the Athena Cabin, a big grin plastered on his face. "You spend too much time alone, you know that?" he tells me. "My mother says you make her worry,"

The thing is, I live in the Athena Cabin half of the time, and the Poseidon Cabin the other half, and my stuff is pretty much evenly distributed between them. It's pretty much the best thing I can think of, because I don't know where my parents wanted to stay.

"Well, tell her it's because I have work to do," I reply, shoving a notebook in his him a notebook.

"It's summer!" he cries. "Who does work in summer?"

"I do," I remind him.

"You don't even go to school!" He retorts.  
"So? I take online courses,"

"That doesn't count," he crosses his arms.

"Yes, it does," I tell him. "It's the same work, except I just don't move from my bed to do it,"

"By the way, you guys should really start walking to the pavilion unless you want to miss lunch," Anna Zhang calls from the doorway, placing a curly cinnamon lock of hair behind her ear. "Emphasis on _really_ ,"

"You know what?" Tony says. "I vote we just have a picnic in the strawberry fields and skip lunch." Anna frowns.

"What would we eat?" she asks.

"Strawberries," he says. "Duh," We all look at him.

"Well, that sounds _highly_ nutritional," Anna says sarcastically.

"Strawberries are high in vitamin C, and they also have lots of dietary fiber," I offer. "So he's technically right,"

"Please tell me you don't sit there all day reading Wikipedia," Anna sighs, but I know she's kidding.

"Of course not!" I cry. "I read _Encyclopedia Britannica_. And not all the time! I have a life, guys," True story.

Natalie, one of Tony's three little sisters, barges into the cabin. "Antonio Valdez," she yells. "Mom says you better get to lunch _right now_!" She looks extremely pleased with herself for knowing her brother's full name. She's eight. Cute kid.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming," Tony grumbles.

"I don't see your feet moving!" Natalie sees, imitating her mother. "Also, Mom says you're in trouble," She puts her hands on her hips. " _Y eres antipatico!"_ Natalie adds, switching to Spanish. "And you're mean!"

"Did she just call me mean in Spanish?" Tony questions. "And no one cares?"

"No one cares because you're mean," Natalie says. "So hah!"

I sigh, get up, and start walking to the door.

"Come on, guys," I mutter. "Let's go to lunch,"

And that was the moment my life started to change.

Turns out we missed lunch.

When we arrive at the dining pavilion, everyone is gone, except for Alayna Grace, who is sitting at a picnic table, looking extremely bored. "Where were you guys?" she cries. "I had to sit with my siblings!"

"Oh, shut up," Tony says. "You only have two!" He pats Natalie on the head.

"Ow!" she says, swatting his hand. "Stop it! I'm telling Mommy!"

"Whatever," Tony says. "Is there any food?"

"Nope," Alayna shakes her head. "We ate without you. Although if you're really hungry, I'm pretty sure my brothers dropped half of their food on the floor," she adds.

"What?" Natalie cries. "You mean I missed lunch because of you? Not fair! I'm hungry!"

"Yeah?" Anna sighs. "I'm hungrier, because I didn't get to eat _anything_ ," Natalie pouts and sticks out her tongue.

"Picnic, anyone?" Tony offers.

"Sure," I say.

"If there's food, I'm coming," Natalie says.

"I already ate, but you know what? I'm inviting myself," Alayna says, grinning. I look at Anna.

"Well," she says, giving up. "I think it might be our only option, so…," Anna sighs. "Count me in,"

After the picnic, we are walking to the sword-fight arena, while passing the Big House. Suddenly, Rachel walks up to us, her eyes glowing, and green smoke coming out of her mouth.

"Oh no," Alayna mutters. "Not another prophecy," She crosses her fingers.

"Why are your eyes like that?" Natalie questions Rachel. "You look funny," she marvels.

Suddenly, a voice comes out of Rachel's mouth that isn't her own.

"Four shall save the wrongly slain,

Fix what was broken, gone is the pain.

They shall save what was lost,

Though not without a higher cost."

And then I faint.

In my dream, I am staring at a paper picture of my parents, and a baby who I somehow know is me. Suddenly, a man who I have never seen before walks up behind me, and pulls a knife from his pocket.

He mutters a curse under his breath as he slowly drags the knife across the picture, cutting it in half, with my parents in one part, and me in the other. The man takes out a match and lights the picture on fire.

Suddenly, there is fire crawling up my arms, and I am screaming.

I sit up in a bed in the infirmary, eyes wide and panting.

"You okay, Maya?" Piper asks from next to my bed. She puts her hand on my forehead. "Maybe you should drink some nectar,"

"That's okay," I tell her. "But I'm fine,"

I'm clearly not.

Alayna bursts into the room. Her hair is all messed up, like she's just been asleep.

"Maya," she pants. "What if the prophecy has to do with your parents? What if-"

"Alayna," her mother warns, and that's when I realize that my friends have been forbidden from talking about my parents, that it's the reason why no one ever says anything, or pays attention to my speech about why I think someone killed my parents. Because they aren't allowed to discuss it. Chiron probably ordered it. I think he's worried about my mental state.

But Alayna continues anyways. "What if there's some way to bring your parents back from the dead?" she finishes excitedly.

 **A/N: Wow, this took a long time. I really hope you guys enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it! Please review/follow/favorite, and constructive criticism is very welcome. :D**

 **-lunarchroniclesandcockatiels**

 **P.S. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions. Oh, and I will update soon! :D**


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